Phonograph needle or stylus



Nov. 25, 1952 E. H. KAHN 2,619,353

PHONOGRAPH NEEDLE OR STYLUS Filed Aug. 16, 1949 INVENTOR. ELL/OTTH. KAHN I TT RNEY Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in phonographs styli.

The styli or needles used for the reproduction of sound vibration from a disc or phonograph record present many problems. It has been found that the use of a steel needle gives good vibratory transmission from the record to an electrical pick-up unit. The steel needle, however, causes the records to wear rapidly and reproduces large quantities of disturbing noises referred to as scratch. The use of cactus or plastic needles does not provide as good vibratory sound transmission from a disc or record to electrical pick-up as the steel needle but does cause less wear upon the record and generally does not reproduce as much Scratch as is produced with the steel needle. The cactus or plastic needle has an additional advantage in that it may be readily resharpened, and thus reused.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved styli or phonograph needle having the desirable features of both the steel and cactus or plastic needles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a styli which is simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section showing an improved styli and embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view partly in section showing another modified embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a side View partly in section showing a further modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail the illustrative embodiment of the invention in Figure 1 comprises a styli including a body portion H having a point Ila and a shank Ilb preferably formed of a cactus or plastic material, with a tubular casing l2 tightly fitted about a section of shank llb for a substantial portion of its length. Thus the sound vibrations from a disc picked up by needle point Ha travels a short distance along shank I [b and are transmitted to sleeve l2 which is a better conductor of the vibrations than the cactus or plastic material.

A modified embodiment of the invention is shown in figures wherein a cactus or plastic body portion [3 includes a point I30. A metallic end portion Hi is formed with a projecting section i5 which is inserted tightly in the bore [3c of shank i317. In this embodiment, the sound vibrations picked up by needle point I30 are transmitted a short distance through shank [3b and then to the pick up through projection l5 and metallic portion l4 which are formed of a harder vibratory conducting material than the shank and needle point.

Figure 3 shows a further modification of the invention wherein a plastic or cactus body section l6 comprises a needle point Ilia, a shank [6b, and a bore formed centrally within the longitudinal portion of said shank. A metallic member I! is formed with a projection l9 and a tubular casing l8. Projection I9 is tightly fitted within bore [60 and the tubular casing I8 is tightly fitted over a substantial length of shank lBb. In this embodiment the needle point Ilia picks up the sound vibrations from a record or disc and transmits them through a short plastic or cactus path at which point they are picked up by the metallic member to provide a better transmission medium for the vibrations to the pick up.

The several embodiments disclosed generally comprise a cactus or plastic pick up point for riding on a phonograph record or disc and a metallic element secured to the shank in such manner that the path of the vibrations taken off a record is short through the cactus or plastic material and is then transferred to a harder or metallic element which is better capable of vibratory transmission than the cactus or plastic material.

While I have shown and described certain cmbodiments of my invention, I desire it to be understood that modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing therefore. I therefore desire that the claims be interpreted in the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A phonograph stylus comprising a body portion including a point and a shank made of one material, a bore along the longitudinal axis of said shank, an end member of a harder material including a projecting section and a casing section, said projecting section being tightly fitted within said bore and said casing section being tightly fitted around said shank.

2. A phonograph stylus comprising a plastic body section including a plastic point and a plastic shank, a bore along the longitudinal axis of said shank, and a metallic end member including a projection tightly fitted within said bore and a casing tightly fitted about said shank.

3. A phonograph stylus comprising a cactus body section including a cactus point and a cactus shank, a bore along the longitudinal axis of said shank, and a metallic end member ineluding a projection tightly fitted within said Number Name Date bore and a casing tightly fitted about said shank. 1,058,754 Jones Apr. 15, 1913 ELLIOTT H. KAI-IN. 1,194,573 Tangeman Aug. 15, 1916 1,435,095 Adams Nov, 7, 1922 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,444,147 Zaayer Feb. 6, 1923 The following references are of record in the 1,784,345 Morrison 16, 1930 file of patent: Hu tel Oct. 26,

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS N b r Ngmg D t 10 Number Country Date 890,777 Levin June 16,1908 291,146 Germany p 1916 1,045,593 Nichols NOV. 26, 1912 

